NP or MD?

Hello. I'd like to first admit my total lack of experience and relative lack of knowledge about nursing. I hope you don't mind my naive questions.

I have decided that I want to pursue a career in health care. This is after receiving a Ph.D in psychology. I would like to work in pediatrics. I have a spouse and a toddler, so I will continue to have a lot of outside obligations when I go back to school.

I see a lot of possible advantages to going into nursing instead of medicine (e.g. as I read in another post - the more holistic view of health that NPs often have; there are also a number of ways in which it would be more practical), but I'm wondering how those of you who are NPs feel about your career choice. If you were beginning again and both MD and NP were available options, would you become and NP again?

Thank you.

Yes, I'd be an NP again-I love being an NP but if could do it again I'd be born a male (LOL)and make more money as an NP. I also think being an NP vs. an MD is less time consuming and I have less responsibility-i.e. I don't directly hospitalize pts., I'm rarely on-call and I'm not still paying for med school! I also prefer looking at the whole person vs. fixing a disease.

Hello. I'd like to first admit my total lack of experience and relative lack of knowledge about nursing. I hope you don't mind my naive questions.

I have decided that I want to pursue a career in health care. This is after receiving a Ph.D in psychology. I would like to work in pediatrics. I have a spouse and a toddler, so I will continue to have a lot of outside obligations when I go back to school.

I see a lot of possible advantages to going into nursing instead of medicine (e.g. as I read in another post - the more holistic view of health that NPs often have; there are also a number of ways in which it would be more practical), but I'm wondering how those of you who are NPs feel about your career choice. If you were beginning again and both MD and NP were available options, would you become and NP again?

Thank you.

Hi mingus_lost!

I've been struggling with the same problem (you can check some of my posts way back). I think it is a real mistake to somehow compare the two. It's also a very old "mantra" of nursing schools that only RNs and NPs treat holisticly. That's just rubbish. There are many, many nutritionaly-oriented physicians, who are also trained in alternative/complimentary medicine. But that's another topic. Here is the link to the forum where you may get broader view, and answers from ppl who have same/similar background. If doctor is what you want to be then you should go to the medical or an osteopathic school. Do not sattle for, or look for a shortcut. Tere are many, many ppl who went NP or PA route thinking it would give them the satisfaction. There are some great things you could do as a mid-level, but you will never be a doctor.

But only you can decide what's good for you.

Good Luck

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=110

Tere are many, many ppl who went NP or PA route thinking it would give them the satisfaction. There are some great things you could do as a mid-level, but you will never be a doctor.

But only you can decide what's good for you.

Good Luck

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=110

Papadoc, thanks for your reply. Reading a couple of other threads that you pointed me to was helpful.

I fully realize that being a mid-level practitioner is not the same as being a physician. I think I'm okay with that. I've been realizing many reasons why going for an NP or other advanced practice nursing degree will be best for me and my family overall. I'm excited about it.

What are the prerequisites or recommended courses to have taken before applying to direct entry NP or MSN programs? I've been looking at the new program near me and they just recommend a background in A&P and nutrition. I will probably end up applying elsewhere also, so what other courses might I want to take. I currently have a few bio, many stats, and lots of social science classes under my belt.

Thanks.

For classes - it's usually A&P I &II with labs, microbiology, chemistry, stats ... they vary according to programs. Here is a website that lists all the nursing schools and types of programs and what their requirements are.

http://www.allnursingschools.com/synd/nw01/find/index.php?nurseweek=1&src=nw1

By the way - I struggled with the decision between NP and MD/DO too. I turned down med school for my family - I think it's a great career to be a NP. Good luck!!

While I'm not an NP so I can't give the perspective you're looking for I will try to make the waters more muddied for you and give you a couple suggestions:devil:

You say you have a Ph.D. in psych (something I know a bit about since that is the direction I am pursuing) but you want to work in pediatrics. I just want to be sure I understand, do you want to do pediatrics or child psych?

If you want pediatrics (and not child psych) then in addition to med school and NP you may want to look into becoming a PA (physician's assistant). Since you won't have to get your RN and possibly full BSN before starting the program as with an MSN it may be faster for you and you will be able to do pretty much everything a doctor can do (except you will need to work with a doctor and can't be fully independent). I'm pretty sure pediatrics is an available specialty for PAs (though psychiatry doesn't seem to be).

Also, if you like the holistic approach of NPs but are considering med school maybe you should look into becoming a DO (Osteopathic physician) instead of an MD. They are physicians just like an MD, can do all MD internships and residencies, but are trained in a more holistic mindset. It wouldn't be any easier than an MD program to juggle school and family responsibilities but it may appeal to you more.

I've been trying to make up my mind on that one, too... I think I've decided on eventually becoming a NP but I still keep switching back and forth. Mostly, what I like about the NP route is that my experience as a nurse will COUNT...and I will be encouraged to focus on the patient, instead of the disease.

For me, when I look at the NP vs. MD curriculums, the med school classes look more interesting to me...and more indepth. But when I think about what I actually want to DO...I would probably much rather be an NP just because it fits more with my personality, and it'd be...an extention of my nursing training (I'm in nursing school right now) instead of a switch.

But I can never seem to make my mind up on these things for sure...

I agree. I go back and forth all the time. I have applied for an NP program, if not excepted I believe I will finish up O-chem and then decide. Its weird, a lot of NPs tell me to be a doc because I am young and cannot have children, but then docs say to run far away. I found a survey that said 60% of them would not become a MD if they had the chance again.

I guess it is just a really hard personal decision.